Ek said that Spotify has paid $500 million to artists so far, including $250 million in the last nine months.

Spotify also introduced a new "Follow" tab, which gives users music recommendations from trusted sources, shows Facebook friends and recommends the music choices of friends, artists and others. As with the Twitter follow function, users can see who they follow and who follows them.

A new Discover feed finds the most relevant music, such as new releases and playlists from sources a user follows, as well as recommendations based on listening history.

About the author

Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. Based in New York, Sandoval is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg, or follow him on Twitter at @sandoCNET.
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